[linnealand]

Our puppy (a 10 week old cocker spaniel) is very sweet, friendly, happy, playful, very accepting of stangers (he meets a lot of people), sweet with kids, smart, and responding very well to certain parts of his obedience training like come, sit, lie down, walking with a leash, etc.

But after his first week with us, he started doing some things that I am guessing are part of growing up, but they're certainly not things we want to encourage in him. For example, every now and then he will start to growl and go into pouncing mode to bite at our feet or ankles. At the same time, he has no problem possessiveness in terms of his food, toys, bed, bones, etc.

I have tried with a verbal warning ("attenzione") and then say "no!" in a clear and solid voice. I have also tried responding with a deeper growl, and that works quite well.

The only thing is that these things don't stop him 100% of the time, so I have also followed the advice of pinning him (not hurting him) by the neck. I have heard that this can be done with the belly facing down or up. The thing is that as soon as I do this, I he starts acting half-possessed, flailing around as much as he can to try to get out of it and making this high pitched, much worse growling sounds, almost like a monster or a fighting cat in tone. Then I keep him like that until he relaxes, and as soon as he gets up and his attention goes to something else, I play with him and praise him, no hard feelings.

I am wondering if this is normal puppy behavior, and also if what we're doing is okay. We definitely don't want to ignore aggression, but we also want to be very sure that we're not adding to it either.

I should probably add that this comes up maybe once every couple of days or so, but it can also come up a couple of times in the same day (like once with me in the morning, and once with my hubby in the late evening). He has only been with us for about 2 weeks.

I think that some of this growling or barking is him playing, but playing rough, or trying to challenge us, but I'm not an expert. If he is doing it to play, should we be responding in the same way?

Before we got him, I did a lot of reading around to find the right breed for us. I definitely do not want to raise an aggressive dog (I was the victim of a very serious attack by a dog when I was 6), and I found all kinds of info that praised the english cocker spaniel's disposition. However, a number of people have been telling my hubby that english cockers are known for biting their owners. At the same time, we've been hearing all kinds of things from people who think they know best when it comes to raising a dog, but not all of it is right.

Any and all advice would be extremely appreciated!! I know that this is a very important time in his training, and I want to make sure that we really understand our puppy and are doing the right things every time!

[tickle]

Puppies test the waters same as youngsters do and this 'aggression' you think is happening is normal puppy behavior. He is play acting, acting things out. He doesn't know who he is yet and is trying to find out the easy way. You are doing the right thing by the way.

No dog or particular breed is 'known' for biting their owners. Egnlish cockers usually are a pretty laid back breed and I have never met an aggressive one. They are protective but being this way can be toned down to just barking a warning at the door when they hear someone coming like the mailman.

[linnealand]

Thanks, tickle. Getting feedback really helps, and I found your answer reassuring.

Last night the pup got all bitey, with some growling and a little barking mixed in, and after a few warnings, I "pinned" him saying "no". He went into the poltergeist wails again, and he was trying to flail around. This got me worried that I'm not doing it right.

Okay, I'm going to describe what I've been doing in detail, so if anyone can tell me how to perfect (or correct) this I would really love to know.

I have tried using some of the fingers of one hand as a prong on the side of his neck. I'm applying some pressure, but not a whole lot. The thing is that he really doesn't like this, so if he is turned upside down he flails his body around and tries to scratch the life out of my arm with his feet. This is when he makes the high pitched monstery sounds - not from pain, but because he is upset by what I'm doing. I have tried keeping my hand very lightly on his belly to keep him in place, which helped a lot, and it also controlled his ability to flail. Then I waited for him to calm down, looking for his body to relax, and then I let him back up. Last night after I let him up he immediately bit hard at my hand, so I pinned him again and then waited for him to calm down once more before letting him back up.

I know that this method really upset him, and it definitely escalated his aggression in those moments. Am I doing it wrong? And are his responses normal? Is it possible that I'm making him more aggressive this way? I REALLY want to do the right thing, and I don't know any professional dog trainers here. I will ask the breeder, but she lives about an hour away from us, so we probably won't be going to see her for awhile.

Also, what should I be saying - or not saying - while he's being pinned? Should I say "no!" in a clear and assertive voice, or should I be gently telling him to calm down, or should I not say anything? Should I be keeping eye contact? And if I do let him up and he immediately responds in an aggressive way should I pin him again? How long after a pinning can I give him kisses, play and treats? If I do it immediately will it create confusion? And when is the right time to pin a dog versus just telling him "no"?

I can't thank you enough for helping to answer these important questions. We really, really, really want to do the right thing for him!

[tickle]

I see part of the problem. Dogs don't like to be in a submissive position, on their backs with belly up, unless they want to. That is when they are at their most vunerable (tummy up). Every dog has this ingrained sense. I suggest you not make him present his tummy to you. There will be a time when he trusts you enough to do that himself and then you will know you have gained ground. You are gaining no ground at all by 'pinning' him.

Other then this, I don't know what to suggest. I never had this problem with my dogs. I hope some others chime in soon so you can get a good handle on this problem.

I could suggest you consult a dog trainer, attend with him at dog training classes. My husband gave me a Christmas gift many years ago when Taffy was a pup (she is now l2 and very big). One of the ideas she had when Taffy misbehaved was use a spray bottle with water in it, but she thought it was play time. You might want to try a spray bottle. It can't do any harm.

[KISS]

I'm wondering if the puppy just wants to play. Try offering him a chew toy or actually play with him. I once used a braided nylon stocking (3) as a toy and/or a rag.

Wave it in front of his face, take it away and throw it. Try to take it from him. Yep, you get growls. The dog was great.

Kong is recommended. You put food inside and the dog has to work to get at it.

[linnealand]

I understand what you mean about the vulnerability of being belly-up. I think we've been lucky in that he definitely has given us submissive signs from the beginning, and I actually think that he is a naturally balanced puppy - not including this part, which I'm trying to understand better.

I've been reading a big stack of puppy training books in the last couple of months, which are really great for all kinds of things, but getting the practice right - on the human side - and reading the pup right are really things that come from experience. I'm definitely going to avoid anymore pinning unless I think there's a very specific and serious reason to do so, but I would really appreciate it if one of the dog experts - or other experienced puppy and dog owners - have answers to the questions I posted above.

We play with our puppy a LOT because I know how important it is for pooches, and it's so much fun for me, too. I've been waiting for the right time to get a puppy for years, and I'm totally enjoying this time with him. I think that he's just doing the same things he would be doing with his littermates if they were still together, testing the waters to see how far they can go with each other.

This biting/growling/barking thing usually happens in one of two situations: 1. if we've been playing for awhile, sometimes he will change his tone of play and go into it, and 2. if I'm leaving our kitchen, passing into a corner of the house where different rooms meet, including the way to the front door. I really don't think he's any more aggressive than a normal puppy. The thing is that people keep telling us that because of their super sweet exterior and head-strong interior this breed is prone to people not training them not to be aggressive, and I don't want to miss the points where he can learn what's not okay to do.
By the way, his training is very much based on learning what's great to do, and I'm really positive and encouraging with him in general. This method is magical, it works so well. Like when it comes to chewing on the wrong thing and similar situations, I lure him away by showing him things I'm happy for him to have, and then I pet him all over and tell him how great he is for being such a fantastic puppy. He has already learned great little tricks this way, too, and he's so happy to do them.

But for whatever reason I feel like this part has been confusing to me.

We have a lot of different toys for him to play with, and we play together with them all the time. I have yet to pick up a kong, but we actually have scheduled a trip to the pet store for tomorrow, and kongs are top on my list. The books rave about them, and they sound like great aids. But let's say the pup has gone into the biting/barking thing - if I don't "correct" him and just give him a toy or something instead, will the problem go away by itself?

Thanks tickle and keepitsimple. I'm really hoping to get some answers here!

[KISS]

He might actually be telling you, "I want to play some more". So , instead of saying no, say "You have to learn to play by yourself - here is a kong". Puppies have a lot of energy and that may be part of the problem.

[froggy7]

Yep... some puppies play growl. It's a lot like little kids running around yelling. As long as the pup's body language is playful, and not aggressive, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. Here's some info from my doggie daycare's trainer's blog:

Owners often have a hard time deciphering whether their puppy's growling is playful or not. This can happen whether your puppy is playing with you or with other dogs. Here are a few keys to solving the mystery of your growling puppy:

1 - Look at body language. Is your growling puppy also play bowing, bouncing around, or wiggling its butt? Is your growling puppy's body relaxed and wriggly or is its posture forward (shoulders, ears, etc. forward and up)? Is there any stiffness to your puppy's body?

2 - If your puppy is growling with other dogs, what are the other dogs' reactions? You can often figure out what is play and what is serious by looking at the receiving dog's response.

3 - Is your puppy's mouth closed or does he have his teeth bared? Both can mean the growling may not be in play. Look for a relaxed, open mouth.

4 - Is your dog trying to escape or back away from you or another dog when growling? If so, this is likely not playful!

5 - Is your dog staring at you in a direct, threatening way? Again, this probably means the growling isn't playful.

If you think your puppy is growling in a threatening or challenging way as opposed to playful, or if you're just not sure, call a trainer near you to help figure it out (and be sure to book your spot in puppy class too!).

Here's her blog all about puppies and training them. You may find it helpful. Or not.

Austin Dog Trainer Blog: Training Your Puppy

[linnealand]

Thank you, froggy, that was a great post. I'm going through the link right now; there's a lot of helpful information there!

I would say that he will back a step back into a low into a low crouch and then pounce to bite at our feet, legs and clothing. At that point he'll bark, too. I don't think it's to really hurt us, but it's definitely not something we want him to do as an adult. I think we're gradually getting the hang of it. I think his behavior is perfectly normal for a puppy his age; we're just trying to reduce human error here. I wonder if these are things that they eventually grow out of, at least if it's not any extreme behavior. He will also bark at his bones, the tiles in the corners of the bathrooms, and the shower drain. I think it's very cute, and I'm not worried about that. Well, thanks to those of you that have posted! I'd be happy to hear more if any other members can help! :)

[froggy7]

There's a book she recommends... The Other End of the Leash... which sounds like an interesting read. It's about how dogs may interpret human behavior, and may be helpful for you. I'm planning on getting it out of my library, myself.

[linnealand]

Thank you for the recommendation. I have found training books to be very helpful in so many aspects of the process, so I will look into it. :)